Sermons on Dales:

What Is That In Your Hand?

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Oct 16, 2005

God’s question to Moses regarding the staff. This sermon focuses on "Little is much when God is in it."

It happened several times a week, almost without fail. Whether they lined up against the wall of the gymnasium, the local ice rink or the snow bank for the back-roads hockey, it was always the same. He got picked last. Last for basketball because he was too clumsy; in hockey he was not ...read more

Denomination: Salvation Army

Prayer-Works Series

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Feb 16, 2008

Why ‘work’ instead of ‘activity’ of prayer or ‘picnic’ of prayer? Why does ‘prayer concert’, or ‘prayer vigil’ sound so gray and bland? The answer is obvious. Prayer is hard work! It is rewarding; it is life-changing; but it is hard.

We continue today on our topic, “Learning to serve in a Service-less Age”, more specifically looking at “The refurbished Life”. God refurbishes our lives, in part, through “The Habit of Prayer”. I confess my struggle with this topic. It is complex yet simple. So complex that we will not even begin ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:1-11

Denomination: Salvation Army

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Mar 2, 2008

The cry of the inner child remains the same. We desperately want someone to love us. Love me for me. Charles Spurgeon (English preacher of the 19th century) said, “God chose me before I was born; for he never would have chosen me afterwards!”

The childish art of love – pulling the petals from a flower and reciting, “(s)he loves me, (s)he loves me not” – left love to chance. Even rigged it because if you start a certain way you end up where you want to – “(s)he love me!” Prance off feeling hopeful that love has a chance! The cry of the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:38-39

Denomination: Salvation Army

Legacy Of The Heart Series

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on May 13, 2007

Mothers are key activists and serious contenders in shaping society...To this, women, you are called.

“Legacy of the Heart” Scripture reading: 2 Timothy 1:1-5 INTRO •S) “Hen’s that produce the best eggs owe it all to their mothers” •Mother’s Day – varying ideas of its original context: - Greek methodology - USA – copied from the English activist Julia Ward Howe in her quest to bring peace after ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:1-5

Denomination: Salvation Army

Life Source Series

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Nov 3, 2007

“North America is spiritually obese.” (Norm Cheng, Ontario Bible League) The irony is the alarming numbers of people in Canada who have no room for God.

Norm Cheng, this district’s Area Director for Ontario for the Bible League, spoke at the Christian Business Ministries dinner last week. He made a comment in his presentation that perked my ears up. He said, “North America is spiritually obese.” I agree with his comment. We have more forms of ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-15

Denomination: Salvation Army

"Life" Time!

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Nov 24, 2007

Philip Yancey wrote about trying to explain a life of spiritual ecstasy to a person who spends all day taking care of a cranky, bedwetting Alzheimer’s parent. There’s gotta’ be more to life.

Play a clip of Stacie Orrico’s music video, "More to Life" – fade after second line LIFE. The word conjures up a flood of ideas. Marilyn Meberb pushes the buttons of our first reaction to the word LIFE. “Cornered. Boxed in. On our last leg. In a pickle. Between a rock and a hard place. Sitting on ...read more

Scripture: John 3:13-17

Denomination: Salvation Army

Transplanted Heart Series

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Jan 14, 2008

Being a servant is not only what we do for others but also what we allow others to do for us which otherwise we are embarrassed to receive.

Among the extraordinary feats of history is the medical process of heart transplants. It is the actual procedure of removing a diseased heart from a patient and replacing it with the heart of a deceased donor. A surgeon would perform the transplant procedure on a patient who has a diseased heart, ...read more

Scripture: John 13:1-17

Denomination: Salvation Army

Tears Of God, Hope Of Heaven Series

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Jan 21, 2008

The humanity of Jesus relates to your experience. The authority of Jesus provides meaning to your experience. The presence of Jesus walks with you through your experience.

Warren Wiersbe, theologian and writer, tells a story as taken from a source. “A miserable looking woman recognized F.B. Meyer (preacher and teacher) on the train and ventured to share her burden with him. For years she had cared for a crippled daughter who brought great joy to her life. She made ...read more

Scripture: John 11:33-44

Denomination: Salvation Army

Unshackled Hands Series

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Jan 28, 2008

I could quite easily justify not even stopping...But I was reminded that unshackled hands are not concerned about how or why – only that there is a need and I should do something about it.

A well dressed woman was on an African Safari that stopped in a leper hospital. The air was humid and sticky. Flies buzzed in frenzy. The woman noticed a nurse bending toward a patient, attending a leper’s pus-filled sores. The woman said, “I wouldn’t do that for all the money in the world” to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:30-36

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Gift Of Relationships Series

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Dec 14, 2007

We are given the gift of relationships. What steps need to be taken to restore fractured, broken relationships, restoring them to where God intends them to be?

- Sibling rivalries as children! Somewhat funny looking back - Healthy rivalries – hockey! (Toronto and Montreal) - Tragic when sibling rivalries end up with broken homes and families. They can live within miles of each other but behave as if there is a continent between them. - Deeper lesson of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:23-26

Denomination: Salvation Army

How To Treat The Good The Bad And The Ugly Series

Contributed by Dale Harlow on Dec 17, 2007

3 John gives to us a glimpse into the life and struggles of the church of the first century. They struggled with the truth and with personalities. To borrow the words of a New Testament scholar: “Third John is all about the Elder, who wrote it; Gaius, who

Jay Leno once said that the Christmas tree is the perfect houseplant for him because it is already dead. And that’s probably true for many of us. Growing house plants sometimes is hard work. One preacher was given a Peace Lily for a wedding gift. I don’t know what the symbolism means. Peace ...read more

Scripture: 3 John 1:1-12

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

How To Treat Your Salvation Series

Contributed by Dale Harlow on Dec 17, 2007

This sermon was preached right after the Virginia Tech shootings. Aside from the apostle Paul, I don’t know if we see a greater change in anyone than John. He went from a "son of thunder" to one who said, "little children, let us love one another." It

As we continue through some of the smallest letters in the New Testament, we come to two of the letters written by the apostle John. But before we get to his writings, let¡¦s look at John, and how he was changed by Jesus. John is thought by most to be the youngest of the disciples. I would ...read more

Scripture: 2 John 1:1-13

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Skip Loneliness, Find Belonging Series

Contributed by Dale Harlow on Dec 17, 2007

Christmas is a happy time for many, but it is also a lonely time for many. For those who have lost loved ones, or are just feeling empty, this sermon is for them.

The Horse Whisperer was a movie based upon the work of Monty Roberts. Monty Roberts’ secret of his horse whispering involves his getting into the corral with an untamed mustang. And when asked his secret, he said, “the animals need to be with others so much, they would rather befriend the enemy ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-7

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Skip Excess, Find Simplicity Series

Contributed by Dale Harlow on Dec 17, 2007

Worry is a big problem, especially at Christmas time. We shouldn’t be chasing after and worrying about things that non-Christian people chase! The sins of worry and fretting over things might be acceptable sins to people, but they aren’t to God! Worry is

You might be wondering why I am starting a Christmas series even before Thanksgiving. Well, the stores start Christmas now, so I figure if you can’t beat em, join em! That is only partially true. One reason I am starting it now is that I am going to be on vacation next week. But another ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-33

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Skip Rush, Find Rest Series

Contributed by Dale Harlow on Dec 17, 2007

Do you ever feel like life is flying by, out of control? You want to get off, but it is like a merry-go-round that is moving too fast. Jumping off can hurt more than staying on! So you just hold on and keep flying. I think we have that problem year rou

Do you ever feel like life is flying by, out of control? You want to get off, but it is like a merry-go-round that is moving too fast. Jumping off can hurt more than staying on! So you just hold on and keep flying. I think we have that problem year round now, but it is at its worst at Christmas ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ